dj_bigbird:I'll believe him when he liquidates the Vatican Bank and all of the assets of the Vatican.

/and opens the Vatican library to the public

Oh my gosh I would LOVE that!!!! Might be enough of a draw to bring me back to the Vatican. Honestly, they should do a start-over with their museum, as well. How about labeling things, giving a provenance to those artifacts, loaning out objects to other museums...the Vatican does none of that. Pissed me off as an archaeologist....

i believe he is leading by example. didn't he eschew the fancy papal residence? and i do think he is calling for a thorough independent investigation of the vatican bank. it's not much, but it's something. and it's significant.

The My Little Pony Killer:No, he's telling his UNDERLINGS to think about what they're doing. He needs to start with himself. He is the star of their show, after all.

He has. Aside from his not using the normal papal residence and eschewing the normal ostentatious Papal garb, while he was Archbishop, he lived pretty humbly, did all his chores himself instead of having an underling do them for him, and rode a bike or took a bus to work.

You're not going to change an institution like the Catholic Church overnight. You have to start somewhere, and leading by example, from the Papacy down to a local parish priest is a good way to start.

raerae1980:dj_bigbird: I'll believe him when he liquidates the Vatican Bank and all of the assets of the Vatican.

/and opens the Vatican library to the public

Oh my gosh I would LOVE that!!!! Might be enough of a draw to bring me back to the Vatican. Honestly, they should do a start-over with their museum, as well. How about labeling things, giving a provenance to those artifacts, loaning out objects to other museums...the Vatican does none of that. Pissed me off as an archaeologist....

FlashHarry:The My Little Pony Killer: He needs to start with himself. He is the star of their show, after all.

i believe he is leading by example. didn't he eschew the fancy papal residence? and i do think he is calling for a thorough independent investigation of the vatican bank. it's not much, but it's something. and it's significant.

It's not the popemobile we all know and love, but it's also not a 1995 Ford Taurus with chipped paint and a small dent in the rear bumper./$400 OBO BTW. EIP

"You may think of the starving children. But unlike recent times you may not be aroused by these thoughts. Even though the children are so thin, helpless, pliable and have those eyes that just say "I need you" do not be aroused.

More focus on helping those in need; less focus on anything sexual. Between pedophile priests, a disproportionate amount of time spent waging war on homosexuality and an almost Victorian viewpoint on sexuality in general (particularly in contraception) the Church has become ridiculously obsessed with sex.

That is a huge problem that I have with ministers and preachers. Like that TD Jakes person. When someone told me that he lives in a mansion and has a bunch of cars, my first question was "So, there are no homeless people in his town and no starving children?" The answer was no.

I'm not saying that ministers and other church leaders should live in poverty, but at the same time, they shouldn't drive high end luxury cars and live in mansions and wear Rolex watches if there are people hitting up the food banks, living on the streets etc... They need to be setting the example by giving to the community, not hoarding it all.

What surprises me is how little effect(maybe, just maybe, affect too?) having the pope swing from radical conservative to moderate progressive has on the membership of the church. If the pope is the representation of god's will on earth, wouldn't your faith be shaken by such dramatic mood swings?

dj_bigbird:I'll believe him when he liquidates the Vatican Bank and all of the assets of the Vatican.

/and opens the Vatican library to the public

The Vatican Library, like *every other research library in Europe* is a closed collection, and you need credentials for access. Biatch about the British Library too, then, or learn about things before you shoot off your mouth.

Alphakronik:FlashHarry: you know, i'm an atheist, but i'm really liking this pope. his focus on the poor and on setting a good example really harkens back to the mission of living a more christ-like existence.

I'll believe that when he starts living more like christ, and starts giving his possessions away. He can start with his Mercedes and gold staffs.

He lives in an apartment and takes the bus to work. Much like the President does not own his limo, that car does not belong to him. Not that you care about factual accuracy, and not that you wouldn't find some other reason to hate him.

I really love progressives who actually expect the Catholic church to give up its 2000 doctrainal views on Marriage and Homosexuality. As if the Church should changes its views to accomidate Western Progressives. No one in the media says, great, now that we have a new chief Rabbi in Isreal, may be the Jews will relax its views on eating pork and working on the weekend. No expects the Muslems to give up any of their views either. The Pope is not evil because he is against gay marriage or gay priests, that is the doctrine of the Church. A group that includes more than Western liberals. You know, I love Fark, and have been on since the beginning, but I am really sick of the rank anti-Catholic bigotry that exists on this site. No one would tolerate any comments like this against Jews, so why all the hate against Catholics? Every major religon preaches against homosexulaity and gay marriage, so why pick on Catholics? Drew, seriously, I know that you are looking for more commerical sponsors ont this page, please consider that attacking Christians is not "hip" its is just biogtry.